When you want to take a leave of absence due to personal circumstances, or any other reason, you need to fill in the electronic form on the portal website, http://my.snu.ac.kr, and send it in through the web. A general leave of absence automatically expires after 2 semesters (except in the case of the Military Service Leave of Absence and others specified), and the minimum length of a leave of absence is one semester.

Possible leaves of absence are a) Voluntary Leave of Absence, and b) Involuntary Leave of Absence. The Voluntary Leave of Absence is then categorized into 1) General Leave of Absence, 2) Military Service Leave of Absence and 3) Leave of Absence due to Health Reasons. Categories 2) and 3) are bordering upon “Involuntary Leave of Absence” in meaning. However, Involuntary Leave of Absence in this instance refers to students dismissed from the school due to academic / disciplinary problems. Military Service Leave of Absence is applicable only to students who have served the Korean Armed Forces.

Voluntary Leave of AbsenceGeneral Regulations
The aggregate term of absence cannot exceed six semesters for undergraduates, four semesters for graduate students in a master’s program, and six semesters for students in a doctoral program. You will be dismissed from the school if you exceed these time allotments. Depending on the reason for your leave, the period specified in the regulations can be extended. Further information about this is handled under 4) Valid Reasons for Leave. If you fail to register before the given due date it will also result in dismissal. Students who wish to leave the University permanently must report to the dean.

Tuition Refunds
If you apply to take a leave of absence before the registration period, you need not pay the tuition for the semester. However, in the event that a student wishes to take a leave of absence after the registration period is over, you must attach relevant documents proving your valid reason. Acceptable reasons are limited to mandatory military service (Korean Armed Forces) and severe health problems. The administration office, after screening the submitted documents, will approve your request if they feel the reason presented is valid. The paid tuition fees will not be refunded in cash, but will be transferred to the next semester you will be enrolling.

Procedures
The procedure for applying to take a leave of absence has changed. From a paper-based administrative process, it is now possible for you to apply online. By logging onto the SNU portal website, http://my.snu.ac.kr, under (학사행정)“Student Affairs and Administration” > (개인정보)“Personal Information” > (휴ㆍ복학신청)“Application for Leave of Absence / Return”, you will see an electronic form that you can fill out. You will only have to check with the administration office if either the office requires you to submit further documents, or if your academic advisor (or possibly the dean) requests a meeting with you. If you have any inquiries, you should contact the administration office of your department.

Valid Reasons for Requesting Leave
The validity of reasons for requesting leave is quite flexible, and all reasonable requests will be approved. However, there are a limited number of reasons acceptable for extending your total number of semesters of possible leave. Serving for the Korean Armed Forces (Mandatory Service) is one, and the other is leave due to serious illness or surgery. If you are to required to serve in the military of your nation during your enrollment in the University, you must submit an application along with a copy of the enlistment notice. Within 6 months of being enlisted in the army, you need to submit documents proving your service in the military.
Leave due to mandatory military service will not be included as general leave but as a separate Military Service Leave of Absence period. Similar procedures should be followed to request leave due to health reasons. You will need to submit a diagnostic report from a doctor, or otherwise prove that you will be needing hospital treatment and that you will not be able to carry out academic activities for the semester. Along with the Military Leave of Absence, leave due to these reasons will extend your total semesters of possible leave by the number of semesters that you have taken leave.

If you are currently on leave of absence, expelled or removed from the register, it is necessary for you to undertake specific procedures in order to re-register. Returning to school will require either: a) simple re-registering, b) reversion, c) reinstatement or d) readmission.

General Regulations on Returning to School
You can only be reinstated or readmitted once during your enrollment. If you were removed from the register because of disciplinary measures, exceeding the maximum number of terms or expulsion, you do not qualify for readmission.

Returning to SchoolSimple re-registering (Returning Students)
You fall into this category if you are returning from a General Leave of Absence.

Reversion
You fall into this category if you are returning from a Leave of Absence taken after the registration period. You will be exempt of paying the tuition for your returning semester as you have already paid for it before the leave.

Reinstatement
You fall into this category if you were dismissed due to not registering without taking a leave of absence. Reinstatement must take place within one year of your dismissal, and is only possible if the department that you wish to enter has extra space.

Readmission
You fall into this category if you were either expelled or dismissed from the school for reasons other than not registering. You are permitted to re-register only if the department you wish to enter has extra space.

Procedures
The procedure for applying to return has changed only recently. From a paper-based administrative process, it is now possible for you to apply online. By logging onto the SNU portal website, http://my.snu.ac.kr, under (학사행정) “Student Affairs and Administration” > (개인정보) “Personal Information” > (휴ㆍ복학신청) “Application for Leave of Absence / Return”, you will see an electronic form that you can fill out. If you have any inquiries, you should contact the administration office of your department.

If you wish to leave the university permanently, you need to fill out the Voluntary Resignation Form, have it approved by the department head or your academic advisor and submit it to the dean.